Apple's macOS Keychain allows you to keep your passwords safe on your Mac. Keychain—which resembles a security database—saves your login data on your system for easy access later. Although it works quite well, Keychain can occasionally give you problems that may require you to delete a password or the entire Keychain from your system.
Introducing the Keychain
The macOS Keychain works by securely saving your login information so that it can store certificates, credit card numbers, and other secure information. Keychain data is secured locally on your device, unless you have iCloud Keychain enabled, which syncs this data all across your Apple devices.
Keychain can also suggest passwords that are super secure and complex, including numbers, symbols, and random characters. These are then saved on your system and entered automatically when you want to log in later on, saving you the hassle of remembering a password.
Why Would You Need to Delete a Password?
Keychain is very handy, but it can sometimes present problems. One of the most common errors you may face is when you change a password and it does not sync with Keychain.
In other cases, you may want to declutter your Keychain or delete passwords to websites or accounts you no longer use.
How to Delete a Password From Keychain
Deleting a specific password from Keychain is an easy task that can be accomplished right from Keychain Access:
- Open Keychain Access from the Utilities folder (Applications > Utilities) in Finder.
- Find the specific entry that you want to remove from the system.
- Control-click the entry and click on Delete [entry].
- You may require verification to modify the Keychain. Enter the password for your account.
- Click Delete when prompted.
How to Reset the Keychain on macOS
You can also choose to reset the complete Keychain on your system. This will erase all your saved passwords. To do this:
- Open up Keychain Access on your Mac.
- From the menu bar, click on Keychain Access > Preferences.
- This will open up new window which will give you the option to Reset Default Keychains.
- You'll be asked to enter in your password to confirm the changes. Once done, all of your saved passwords will be deleted and your Keychain will be completely reset.
Integrating Keychain With iCloud
Keychain can be a very handy asset if used properly. If you have multiple Apple devices, you can choose to use iCloud Keychain, which syncs your Keychain across your devices. This makes accessing your secure data on-the-go much easier.
